I’m not currently a home inspector but have been in the trades for many years, my question is, does NACHI help one become an inspector or, do I have to find a school prior to becoming NACHI certified. thanks
It depends on where you live.
Either way NACHI certification is a big plus.
Colin, as Bob stated it depends upon what state you reside in or do business. Some states are licensed and some are not. Check the government site for your state and go from there, or ask others in the trades in your area about licensing. Also, iNACHI will help get you prepared if you do need to get licensed. There’s alot of greatr info in this organization. Utilize all the info this organization has to offer and that will get you started.
The simplest way to become a home inspector is to find a state that licenses them.
Read the bill. There are only about one or two steps…some classes, maybe a test, then pay a fee. Abracadabra!
Now…being a licensed home inspector does not necessarily mean people will flock to your door so you will be forced to entice them in some way. What most do is offer inspections at a fee that is around half of what most of the inspectors in your area offer. Anywhere from $99 to $125, should do it.
It is really and truly that simple.
Thanks for your responses, I live in N.W. Indiana along the IL. state line
Indiana and IL. are both License States. Certified and Lic. are 2 different things. Pass all of the iNachi requirements and become a member you’ll be iNachi certified. In Indiana you need to meet all of their pre-license requirements to obtain a License.
Do you ever let up? Just answer the guys question without being a jacka$$ for once. We all know and understand you hate licensing, but I could ask you how your daughter was and find out how terrible the licensing in MO is. I understand and respect your views Jim, but just come up for air and breathe every now and again. But, it does sound quite easy when you put it that way.LMAO
InterNACHI is not very newbie friendly like come-only-with-cash ASHI (they have a 30 second online application process that requires nothing but a valid credit card). ASHI also pushes for very low, minimum standard licensing (which lets every bozo into the industry). .
ASHI even goes as far as using the minimum standard NHIE (used by many states to license a newbie) as ASHI’s full membership exam! They really are the Wal-Mart of the inspection profession.
InterNACHI on the other hand doesn’t help a newbie much and despite being the inspection industry’s largest school system and education provider… doesn’t even offer pre-licensing courses.
InterNACHI is much more geared to the existing inspector, helping him/her with marketing, legal matters, insurance discounts, offering other inspection services, membership benefits, search engine optimization, advanced education, business success tips, and state approved continuing education.
You say you are on the IN/IL border… Nearly all our courses are approved by Illinois for continuing education purposes: http://www.nachi.org/moreillinoislicenses.htm and ALL our courses are approved by Indiana.
Like Jim said, getting a state license is less than 1% of that which you need to become a successful inspector. The other 99% can be found within www.nachi.org/success.htm
It is that easy. What better opportunity to illustrate it, than when someone actually asks the question?
To be fair, we do offer one pre-licensing exam tool: www.nachi.org/qa.htm
Yep…and then, once you have your license, keeping up with CEUs can sometimes cause you to leave your comfort zone and interact with other inspectors in the various classes and seminars that are offered by different folks throughout the year.
Since licensing is a process of “dumbing down” the profession by reducing it to a three step process…NACHI has added to this by providing free training that you do not even have to put on your pants to attend. That’s right. Online training courses (most of them regarding things that you should have already known before performing your first home inspection) that you never have to leave your comfort zone to take.
Now…in unlicensed states, it’s a different story.
There is no state agency available to fool or otherwise convince the public, by virtue of a “license”, that you are qualified to inspect a home. You have to work a bit harder at creating a resume that would impress a client and then actually perform at a level that would not only prove yourself worthy of your higher inspection fee, but would also place you above your competitors as you compete for referrals.
Much of this is done by attending seminars, training courses, and other live educational opportunities where you acquire additional skills and knowledge to add to your resume and your tool box. Even the worst of seminars will find inspectors learning from other inspectors during the “smoke breaks”.
But your licensed state provides the easiest route of least resistance. Good luck.
I wouldn’t have quite put it that way, but Jim is basically correct.
I get the feeling that someone could ask a question about what color
shirt inspectors wear and James could spin it into an answer regarding
how bad licensing is… 
Bad? What did I say that was “bad”? The guy is looking for a quick and easy way to be a home inspector.
What did I say that was not true, John?
Yes Nachi can help you to learn how to be an inspector, don’t be afraid to take the entrance exam, it does not really matter if you fail at first, it will show you your strengths and weakness’s
Do you read the newspapers or go online and follow the real estate market??? Now is not a good time to start a career in any real estate related business. Duuuuh!!!
Yea your right. However it won’t last forever. And when the market picks back up that’s NOT the time to start making a presence. You better have your name out and about or you could get left behind.
To answer your question…
Licensed state? Read the state rules and follow them. Usually requires some sort of school up to 80 hrs. After that you go take a state exam. Pass wala your a inspector. Don’t pass wala you lost your money try again.
Unlicensed state? Pick up a tool belt, throw up a website and call your self a inspector if you want to. However most of us is set well apart from you. How? For example I have both field training and vo tech level training as a inspector before ever doing my first paid inspection. If you don’t join a association IMO your hurting your chances of getting a job over the rest of your competition. Most inspectors belong to some kind of association. Even with years of experience in home construction you need to show you had some sort of training as a home inspector. At a minimum NACHI will do that for you.
Bill
I think that this would be a good time to start in this business!
Just be smart about it. It may not be the right time to go into this FULL BORE, but while you are working your 9-5 job you can certainly get your schooling done, pick the type of corporation you want to be, buy the needed tools and software, familiarize yourself with all your new toys, join InterNACHI and learn from all the courses that are offered as well as jumping in to this message board and reading all you can to learn as much as you can so when the market picks back up you’re ready.
I personally think that if you started while the market is HOT you would be more apt, and possibly forced, to jump in too early before you feel completely competent in your abilities. You don’t want to fumble around like you don’t know what your doing. This is something you need to take your time with.
Allowing yourself time to become as knowledgeable as possible, before you have to do an inspection, will help to reduce the likelihood of making some stupid mistake that could have been avoided if you had the time to gain more knowledge. This is a great time to research and practice your craft.
From my years as a sales manager: Practice, Drill and Rehearse. Repetition is the mother of all learning. Inspect your house many times. Inspect your friends house many times. Go over the process in your head so many times that when it is time for your first PAID inspection you are confident and it shows.
Maybe it is this way for me because I don’t have all the years in the construction industry behind me. But regardless of experience, we all need to be competent in order to become more confident in our skills. This will obviously take longer for some, shorter for others. That is why I believe this is a great time to start.
OK now…I’m ready!!! Where the hell are all the inspections?
Just my 2 cents.
The man asked …
and… you see this as a chance to tell him about the evils of licensing.
Can we say “one track mind”.?
and… I see nothing in his question that implies that he is looking for the “easy way”.
Perhaps he just wanted help in the right direction?
BTW… if he lives in a licensed state, then it would be good for him to fulfill
the law, regardless. I doubt he is going to move to another state looking for
his favorite set of licesning laws.
I know some retired hair dressers that have become home inspectors within the
time it takes to put up a sign in unlicensed states. Don’t tell me it does not happen.
Not all states make it easy to be an inspector (you missed that).
In fact, given the current requirements in Texas, I doubt that even you
would qualify as a home inspector. That is not a slam, given that most
people do not qualify, without some extra steps, when they come here.
TEXAS REQUIREMENTS are not easy.
448 hours of inspector education and training.
7 years experience as an Engineer, Architect or General Contractor.
Yearly CE requirements and mandatory E&O.
Think about it before you respond.
Scott you nailed it. I wouldn’t recommend anyone getting into this business without a 9-5 job when first starting out. That could lead to financial problems in a hurry. This business takes time to build up to what Dale and other’s state.
Bill